Revorgress’ Chosen One

Before anyone could move, Shiro pulled the trigger.

The capacitors struck down on the rails, the ceramic plates cracked and the framework groaned. The bolt shot forward in blinding white light as lightning arced wildly across the light rail cannon.

The Ssarok on the road ahead looked down at itself. The bolt had made a clean hole when it punched straight through its turtle like shell, entering one side and exiting the other. The demon crumpled without a sound.

"Johnaquil, I need 3 more plates, along with another 2 capacitors!"

Johnaquil began rummaging through the bag of supplies.

The Demons from the road to the left and right looked at each other as their comrade laid dead on the ground.

".... Ummm there are no ceramic plates in here."

Not good!

Shiro's stomach dropped as he remembered putting bolts in the bag of capacitors, but couldn't remember putting in any ceramics.

I was the one who filled the bag! How could I make such a huge oversight after saying I know this weapon best!

The Demon from the road on the right pulled out a large serpent type horn that opened into the mouth of a snake. A long, guttural blast rolled across the city.

“SSSWWAAAAAAHHHH!”

He's calling for reinforcements. It just keeps getting worse!

At the same moment the demon on the road on the left crouched, then launched itself to the sky in a powerful pounce aimed straight at the group.

"I will cover the two of yer! Johnaquil, free the horses and ride them out of here."

Johnaquil hurled the supply bag toward Shiro and sprinted for the carriage. His fingers worked at the horses’ tethers as Shiro began reloading the light rail cannon despite having no replacements for the broken ceramic insulators.

Geraltavin stepped forward to intercept the attack from the airborne Ssarok. Lightning crackled across his fingertips, occasionally dancing up his forearms and upper arms in arcs of blueish white lightning.

The demon came down with crushing force. Its twin talon edged blades swept toward the dwarf.

Only to be stopped cold.

The Dwarf's fingers gripped into the metal blade. Stopping the blades before the two swords could cut through him.

"Get out of..."

His words were cut off as the Ssarok whipped its massive tail around itself in a brutal arc. The blow caught Geraltavin in the side and sent him tumbling sideways violently into one of the buildings on the road they had come from.

Shiro raised the light rail cannon to take aim at the demon.

Before he could shoot, the Ssarok jumped low backwards. Slithering across the ground like a snake, despite its turtle shell and limits. It hid behind the corner of the building from the road it came from.

What the hell was that movement?!

Shiro’s head snapped toward the road on the right. The second Ssarok that had blown the horn was already gone.

“Johnaquil, check on Geraltavin. I’ll cover you.”

“Alright, hold on to these.”

Johnaquil placed the reins of both horses into Shiro’s free hand, then sprinted across the road toward the fallen dwarf.

Shiro kept the light rail cannon raised and ready, his eyes sweeping the intersection for any sign of the two demons.

Are they waiting for reinforcements? Planning a coordinated strike?

His eyes kept looking around him. Trying to find some sort of sign of where they were hiding.

Without the ceramic, I got one shot at best before this thing destroys itself.

If I could just line them up, maybe I could pierce through both of them at once...

The thought was cut short as motion exploded from two directions at once in a coordinated attack.

The Ssarok that had vanished behind the corner of the left road shot back into view. Skipping low as it zigzagged across the stone streets.

At the same instant the second demon from the right most road revealed itself from behind the carriage. It had used the vehicle as cover, when it closed the gap during the other demon pounce.

Both demons rushed Shiro from opposite sides.

Damn it!

He aimed the light rail cannon at the closer threat. Without the ceramic plates the framework screamed as it gave way, electricity conducting wildly along the rails. The entire weapon bent and peeled apart like a banana

But not before it fired its final shot.

The bolt punched clean through the Ssarok’s chest, tearing a hole through both sides of its shell. The demon staggered backward and collapsed against the carriage.

What about...

The last one had never slowed. In the space of a heartbeat it now stood face to face with Shiro.

“Uh oh.”

A single powerful kick drove its scaled, frog like foot into his midsection. The air exploded from his lungs and his grip on the reins tore free.

The horses ran down the road. Their only means of escape was gone as he flew backward.

His body smashed through the large glass storefront of the nearest shop in a burst of glass shards and wooden splinters. He landed on display shelves in what was clearly a smith’s store, scattering weapons and pieces of armor laid across the floor along with the wreckage of the window.

Pain bloomed through his back and spine as he lay among the debris, the metallic taste of blood already filling his mouth.

Outside, the surviving Ssarok’s heavy footsteps approached the broken window. Glass crunched under its weight as it stepped inside. The demon’s silhouette filled the shattered frame, blotting out the morning daylight.

“Revorgressss’s chosssen…”

The low hiss rolled through the darkened shop. Shiro’s eyes snapped open at the sound of the Demon god’s name. The light rail cannon was still clutched in his hand, but was now utterly useless as a weapon.